When to Run and When to Stay

Image by Joe Reilly

Dakota was born on the streets. She knew which restaurants would give her a bite and which a boot. She knew how to hide, where to run, and when to stand her ground. She knew fearful nights in cold, dirty alleys.

Lying in front of the fire now, Dakota gave her human an extra kiss.

The Joke

“Knock Knock!”

“Who’s there?”

“Jimmy.”

“Jimmy who?”

“I'm your son, silly!” giggled Jimmy from his car seat.

“That’s right, you are! My Jimmy!” his mother responded, smiling back.

A big grin on his face, Jimmy kept silent only a moment as he watched his mother in the rearview mirror.

“Hey, Mommy?”

“Yes, Jimmy?”

“Knock knock!”

Henry Davis

Image by Joe Reilly

Henry Davis hadn’t always begged for spare change on Broadway and 5^th. He used to shake his head while passing “those people” in his shiny car, heading to his six figure job. But the stock crashed and he lost his job, his savings. No one would help or hire him. Can you spare some change?

Finals Week

The zombie apocalypse might start in a class of sleep deprived physics students during finals week. As the professor drones about energy and force, a drained student might start draining his neighbor’s energy by murderous force. The classroom would erupt in screams and blood.

The professor clears his throat. How long has class been over?

((Rebecca's note: For now, pictures will only be accompanying Tuesday's stories, and Friday's stories will remain the same. Look out next Tuesday for another awesome picture by Joe!))

Dreams

Image by Joe Reilly

Before the ballet recitals, the messy house, the obligatory sex, and the nine to five, Steven dreamed of being an archaeologist. He would explore new places and discover ancient treasures. Stress and limits would be myths. His driving force would be to simply experience.

Now, Steven’s only dreams were retirement and an empty nest.

((Rebecca's Note: To change things up and maybe make this blog a little more interesting, I decided to start adding images to the stories. The pictures will be drawn by Joe Reilly.))

Taking the First Step

Jenna usually sat alone at lunch. Middle school had just started, but somehow everyone already had their group. Except her.

They’d reject her. She wore glasses and hand-me-down clothes. People didn’t like that.

But today, she was going for it. Picking a group of girls, she set her tray down.

“Hi. I’m Jenna.”

Number on the Bathroom Stall

Tanya found the number on a bathroom stall. Avoiding the return into the noisy bar, she dialed it.

“Hello?” a male voice answered.

“Ted Jones, you’re famous.”

“I am?”

“Three girls at Lucky’s say you are great in bed.”

After a pause, he said, “I hope they’re all my mom. That’s my dad’s name too.”

Survivor

Snow drifts to the frozen ground in chilly silence. A pair of deep footsteps leaves an icy highway, slowly and with effort. Only one pair, but three smoking engines, a ragged doll, and broken pieces lie on the road behind.

The snow settles inside the tracks and conceals the trail of blood running beside them.